Nurse Updates

Dear Families,

We have seen a lot of illness throughout our schools in January. As we head into hopefully a healthier month, please remind your child(ren) to wash hands and cover coughs/sneezes with the inside of their elbow to help reduce the spread of any illnesses.

Thank you for your help in keeping our schools healthy!

Below you will find information on the following:

• Health Topics
• Norovirus
• Cancer (February 4th is World Cancer Day)
• Is It Safe? Event by Marquette County Healthy Communities Healthy Youth
• Illness Protocol
• COVID Guidance
• Medications at School
• Our Health Staff

Thank you!

Nicole Wollert

District Nurse

nicole.wollert@westfieldpioneers.org

Norovirus has been prevalent this year. Here is some general information about norovirus.

Noroviruses are a group of very contagious viruses that cause stomach illness.

• Spread/Transmission: eating or drinking food or water contaminated with norovirus; touching contaminated surfaces/objects and then touching mouth or eating without washing hands; having direct contact with someone who is infected with norovirus.
• Typical Symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain are the most common symptoms and usually occur one to two days after exposure. Other symptoms include nausea, fever, chills, aches, and tiredness.
• Treatment: there is no specific medicine to treat norovirus. It is important to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Symptoms usually improved within one to three days.
• Prevention: wash your hands with soap and water after using the bathroom, before making and eating food; prepare food safely (wash fruits and vegetables, etc); avoid preparing food for others if you are sick; disinfect surfaces immediately after someone vomits or has diarrhea; wash soiled clothes and linens thoroughly.
• Return to School Criteria: students who have been diagnosed with norovirus would need to stay home from school until they have had no symptoms for 48 hours.

If your child has symptoms, we recommend contacting their doctor's office.

We want to make sure we are doing everything we can to limit the spread of it so thank you in advance for your help.

For more information on Norovirus, please visit the CDC website https://www.cdc.gov/norovirus/index.html.

References: CDC and WI DHS websites

February 4th is World Cancer Day and helps raise awareness of the importance of prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer.

Here is some general information about cancer:

• Cancer is caused by changes (mutations) to the genes that control the way our cells function. These changes/mutations can happen because:
• Of errors that occur as cells divide
• Of damage to DNA caused by harmful substances in the environment
• Inherited from our parents
• Statistics per National Cancer Institute:
• In 2024, an estimated 2,001,140 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States.
• Prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers account for an estimated 48% of all cancers diagnosed in men in 2024.
• Breast, lung, and colorectal cancers account for an estimated 51% of all new cancer diagnoses in women in 2024.
• The rate of new cases of cancer is 440.5 per 100,000 men and women per year (based on 2017-2021 cases).
• Risk Factors include but are not limited to:
• Tobacco use - linked to ~15 types of cancer
• Alcohol use - increases risk of mouth, esophagus, bowel, throat, liver, stomach, and breast cancers
• Exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun and use of tanning beds
• Workplace exposure to harmful substances like asbestos
• Chronic infections, such as HPV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C
• Overweight or Obese - increases risk of several cancers including colon, pancreatic, and kidney cancers
• Age - risk increases with age
• Carcinogens
• Genetics - inherited genetic predispositions increase risk
• Prevention:
• Avoid risk factors
• Avoid tobacco and excessive alcohol use
• Limit sun exposure
• Get recommended vaccines, such as Hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to help prevent liver and cervical cancers
• Healthy lifestyle including regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight
• Routine screening tests - mammograms, pap smears, and colonoscopies
• The CDC and US Preventative Services Task Force recommends the following (although you should talk with your doctor about the best time to get screened as each individual has different health considerations, risk factors, etc):
• Women who are 40 to 74 years old and are at average risk for breast cancer get a mammogram every 2 years
• Women start getting Pap tests at age 21; if 30 years old or older, talk to your doctor about testing options
• Adults who are 45 to 75 years old get screened for colorectal cancer

Resources: CDC, Mayo Clinic, and National Cancer Institute websites

If your child has a fever over 100 degrees, is vomiting, or has diarrhea, your child should stay home from school. Your child may return to school when they have been free of fever/vomiting/diarrhea for at least 24 hours.

Your child should also stay home from school if he/she has an unidentified rash or live head lice.

If your child has a rash, your child may return to school when their doctor recommends. Please provide a note to your child's school office from their medical provider indicating when they may return.

If your child has live head lice, he/she may return to school after they are treated as long as there are no longer any live lice.

Your child should stay home if he/she has an eye infection and is unable to avoid touching their eyes.

If your child has a communicable disease, please refer to this chart for guidance on when they may return to school.

We are continuing to recommend families follow the CDC's guidance, which can be found here.

We are continuing to follow our illness protocol that we followed prior to COVID - if a student has a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, then they should stay home until they are free of fever/vomiting/diarrhea for at least 24 hours.

If a student has multiple COVID-like symptoms (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle/body aches, new loss of taste or smell, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, fever or chills), then they should contact their medical provider's office for guidance.

If a student tests positive for COVID or was in close contact with an individual who tested positive, the student should follow their doctor's guidance. Documentation from their doctor must be provided to the school office stating the student should be excused from school and their return date in order for the student's absence to be excused. Just as prior to COVID, student absences that occur without a doctor's note will be unexcused until proper documentation is provided.

If your child needs medication at school, please fill out a medication consent form (see below) and drop off the medication (in its original packaging) at your child's school office.

If it is an over-the-counter medication, such as Tylenol, etc, then only a parent/guardian signature is needed on the medication form. This would include cough drops with menthol or other medicine in them.

If it is a prescription medication, then a medical provider's signature is also required.

A medical provider's signature would also be required if the dosage written on the form by the parent/guardian differs from the recommended therapeutic dose on the medication label.

We are not able to administer medications to students without a medication form completed. Students are not allowed to keep their own supply of medication in their lockers.

Exceptions to this are albuterol inhalers for students with asthma, glucagon for students with diabetes, and epinephrine for students with severe allergic reactions; a medication form still needs to be completed for these medications even if the student is carrying the medication themselves.

All other needed medication must be administered through the school office.